Q: If a tenant negligently damages my rental house, can I charge them full replacement cost?
Allowed children to spill paint over 1/2 room of carpet. Wouldn’t come out & whole room replaced because couldn’t match. One of many negligent damages. Broke lining frig, 2 bins & chunk out of gasket/ door seal. 30-60 nail hole each child’s room, doors & gate hardware broken, cabinet doors broken & areas where finish completely removed & on & on.
A: It really depends on whether the items can be repairs and the condition of the items before the tenancy. If they can't be repaired and only replaced, then replacement is fine. If they were in excellent condition before and repair is not possible, then replacement could be justified. It's a sliding scale. If you decide to hire a lawyer, I'm sure anyone who responds would be happy to help. Good luck.
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